Chapter 75 - [75] The choice

Her mansion felt larger then before, yet it was the same mansion.Her driver picked me up and brought me to her mansion at the appointed time.And there she was at the living room. Vanessa, sitting at the corner table near the large window, overlooking the glittering city skyline. She looked as flawless as ever—dressed in a sleek, form-fitting black dress that accentuated every curve, her long black hair cascading down one shoulder, and those sharp, piercing eyes watching me like a hawk. She always knew how to make an entrance, even when she was just sitting there, sipping a glass of wine.As I approached, she smiled—that same smile that once made me feel special but now made me feel like I was walking into a trap."Tristan," she said as I sat down across from her, her voice smooth and sweet, like nothing had ever gone wrong between us. "You look... pale. Something wrong?"I stared at her for a moment, trying to keep my emotions in check, but it was hard. She knew. She always knew. "You already know why."Her smile widened, like she was savoring the moment. "I figured as much. Saw the TikTok, did you?"I clenched my fists under the table, my jaw tight. "Yeah. I saw it."Vanessa swirled the wine in her glass, watching me over the rim with that same calculating look in her eyes. "I had a feeling you would. Quite a story, wasn't it? A little exaggerated, maybe, but... sometimes you have to control the narrative before someone else does."I didn't say anything. What was there to say? She'd laid it all out so perfectly, making sure that I was the one who looked like the manipulative asshole, the boy toy who used her for her money and then turned on her. And now, she was just waiting to see what I would do next.She set her glass down and leaned forward slightly, her tone soft but laced with that unmistakable undercurrent of control. "You don't have to look so worried, Tristan. All of this... it can go away. You don't have to live your life constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering what I'll do next."I raised an eyebrow, my heart pounding in my chest. "What do you mean?"Her smile returned, but this time it was colder, more calculated. "As long as you agree to... certain terms, we can forget this ever happened. No more videos, no more rumors. You can go back to living in luxury, just like before. And all will be forgiven."I stared at her, the weight of her words settling over me like a dark cloud. "You want me to be your boyfriend again."It wasn't a question. It was a statement. I already knew what she was offering. A life of wealth, comfort, and luxury—but at a price. A price that I had already paid once, and now she was asking me to pay it again.Vanessa tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming. "That's right. I want things to go back to the way they were. You, me—together. No more running, no more games. Just you by my side, where you belong."I clenched my jaw, feeling the tension in the air between us. "And if I say no?"Her smile faded, her gaze turning icy. "If you say no, then things get... complicated. I'm sure you don't want that, Tristan. You've seen what I'm capable of. You know how easy it is for me to... ruin people."The threat was there, hanging in the air, but she didn't have to say it outright. She had already shown me what she could do—the video, the rumors, the manipulation. She was offering me a way out, but it wasn't really freedom. It was just a different kind of prison.I sat there, staring at her, the weight of the decision pressing down on me like a vice. Could I really go back to that life? Could I really go back to being her puppet, her plaything, just to avoid the consequences of standing up to her?But the truth was, she'd already made it clear that I didn't have much of a choice. If I didn't go back, she'd destroy me. And she could. I had no doubt about that.Vanessa watched me closely, waiting for my response, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her wine glass. "It's an easy decision, Tristan. You can either fight me and lose everything, or you can come back to me and live the life you've always wanted. Wealth, luxury, power... it's all yours, as long as you're with me."I swallowed hard, my mind racing. I knew what I had to do. It wasn't the choice I wanted to make, but Vanessa had backed me into a corner, and she knew it.I forced myself to take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I looked her in the eye. "Okay," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yes."Her smile returned, that cold, triumphant smile that told me she had won. "Good. I knew you'd make the right choice."She reached across the table, her fingers brushing against mine in a gesture that felt both intimate and possessive. "Don't worry, Tristan. From now on, everything will be just like it was before. You'll have everything you've ever wanted. And all you have to do... is be mine."I nodded, feeling the weight of those words settle over me like a heavy chain. I was hers now. Again.Q: What would your choice be? And did you enjoy the book?